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Home » Recipes » Breakfast

flourless protein pancakes

January 23, 2023 17 Comments

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These delicious Protein Pancakes come together quickly in the blender, are full of protein, and are gluten-free with no refined sugar. But we’re not sacrificing on flavor or texture – they’re still fluffy and delicious! Make them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner – because breakfast food is the best food.

A close up on a stack of pancakes with a section cut out to reveal the fluffy insides. this recipe

This recipe was originally published in Jan of 2019 but I just updated it with new photos and a few more tips & tricks. The recipe now has a bit more baking soda and protein, but overall is basically the same.

These easy protein pancakes are incredibly easy to make, while still tasting as delicious as regular pancakes! Let’s walk it through.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • Protein Packed Pancakes – Add your favorite protein powder to these pancakes – it’s a great way to get a high-protein breakfast.
  • Easy Blender Recipe – These fluffy pancakes come together in the blender in no time!
  • Simple Ingredients – This recipe is made with simple, wholesome ingredients like oats, eggs, bananas, maple syrup, and cinnamon.
A top down view of the stack of pancakes with a section cut out, and blueberries and maple syrup on top.

Ingredient Overview

  • Oats – We’re starting with old-fashioned whole rolled oats and blending them on their own, before adding the other ingredients, to turn them into oat flour.
  • Banana – A ripe banana provides sweetness and a nice texture to these pancakes. It also makes them taste like banana bread in pancake form!
  • Eggs – Eggs give structure to the pancakes – be sure to use large eggs.
  • Maple Syrup – Maple syrup adds sweetness to these pancakes. It technically is added sugar, but it’s unrefined sugar.
  • Protein Powder – Use any protein powder you like in this recipe, whether whey protein, vegan protein powder, or vital proteins collagen peptides.
  • Baking Powder – This helps make these fluffy protein pancakes!

Ingredient Substitutions:

  • Dairy-free – This recipe is dairy-free as is!
  • Gluten-free – These pancakes are gluten-free as is! Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you have celiac disease.
  • Maple Syrup – Honey should work in place of maple syrup. You can also lessen the maple syrup by 1-2 tbsp if you want.

How to Make this Recipe Step-by-Step:

Step 1: Make the Oat Flour. Blend your oats first – congratulations, you just made oat flour!

Blended oats in the blender - oat flour.

Step 2: Blend up the Pancake Batter. Add the remaining ingredients to the blender, and blend until everything is combined. You’l have a thin, runny batter – this is normal.

All the pancake ingredients in the blender.

Step 3: Cook the Pancakes. Pour the batter onto your heated griddle using 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. The pancakes are ready to flip when they’ve puffed up a bit and have some bubbles on top! You can also lift the edge of the pancake with your flipper – if it’s golden brown on bottom, time to flip!

Serve with your favorite toppings, and dig in!

A stack of pancakes with a fork digging into a bite.

Expert Success Tips:

  • Cooking perfect pancakes – If your pancakes are getting too dark or starting to burn, turn the heat down a bit. If you have a hard time flipping pancakes, use a second flipper or silicone spatula to help scoot the pancake all the way onto the flipper, for a cleaner flip.
  • Blending the Oats – Be sure to blend the oats first, by themselves, as specified in the recipe. Whole oats will not give a pleasant texture to the recipe, which is why we pulse them into oat flour first.
  • Keeping Pancakes Warm – Keep cooked pancakes on a baking sheet covered with foil or a kitchen towel as you continue cooking the rest.

FAQs:

  • Can I double this recipe? Yes you can!
  • Can I freeze these pancakes? Yes! You can freeze them in an airtight container and thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the oven, microwave, toaster, or toaster oven. I will reheat 1-2 pancakes at a time out of the freezer by popping them in the toaster.
  • How many grams of protein are in these pancakes? The amount of protein depends on your serving size and type of protein powder. In one batch of these pancakes (8 pancakes), without the protein powder, there is 5 grams of protein per pancake. The vital proteins collagen protein powder that i used adds 5 grams of protein to each pancake, so 8 pancakes will have about 10 grams of protein each, give or take depending on the brand you use.
A stack of the golden pancakes with syrup dripping down the sides.

Recipe Variations:

  • Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes – Add chocolate chips to the pancakes as they cook to make pancakes that taste like chocolate chip banana bread, while still being relatively healthy protein pancakes.

Serving + Storing this Recipe:

Serve these protein powder pancakes warm, with maple syrup, or with greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and maple syrup or even honey. Store cooked, cooled pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-6 days. See note above under FAQs about freezing and thawing pancakes.

Special Tools:

  • Griddle – I highly recommend using a griddle to cook your pancakes. It cooks more evenly and you can make more at once than in a large nonstick skillet, reducing the time between making the batter and eating the pancakes. Heh. This is the griddle we use and love (affiliate link)!
A 3/4 view of the stack of pancakes, with a section missing and a fork taking a bite.

More Pancake Recipes to Love:

  • Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
  • Zucchini Bread Pancakes
  • Favorite Blueberry Pancakes

More Breakfast Recipes to Love:

  • Bakery-Style Jumbo Blueberry Muffins
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
  • One-Bowl Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
  • Gluten-Free Maple Granola
  • Caramelized Pear Oatmeal Bowls
  • Healthy Cookie Dough Energy Bites
  • Chocolate Granola
  • Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
  • Pumpkin Granola

Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo and leave a comment! 

Be sure to follow bluebowlrecipes on instagram and tag #bluebowlrecipes with your photo! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the bluebowlrecipes Facebook page. I’d love to see what you make!


A close-up on a stack of the pancakes with a section missing, showing the fluffy insides.

Flourless Protein Pancakes

These delicious Protein Pancakes come together quickly in the blender, are full of protein, and are gluten-free with no refined sugar. But we're not sacrificing on flavor or texture – they're still fluffy and delicious! Make them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner – because breakfast food is the best food.
5 from 16 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Protein Pancakes, Blender Pancakes, Gluten Free Pancakes, Flourless Pancakes, Healthy Pancakes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 pancakes
Calories: 254kcal
Author: Stephanie Simmons

Ingredients

  • 1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats use certified GF if needed
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 2 tbsp real maple syrup
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup egg whites
  • 4 scoops your favorite protein powder
  • 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp flax meal (ground flaxseed)
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract optional
  • 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten optional – adds a little thickness to the pancakes, and a little extra protein, but totally not necessary if you need to keep them flourless!

Instructions

  • Make the batter: Add the oats to a blender and pulse until you have a fine flour – congratulations, you just made homemade oat flour!
    Next, add the rest of the ingredients, and pulse until just combined. I recommend scraping down to the bottom of the blender because some of the oat flour will hide down there. After you stir that bit up, give it another few pulses to mix it in.
  • Cook your pancakes: I HIGHLY recommend using a griddle – you can cook more at once and they cook much more evenly. Regardless, heat your pan or griddle to medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Use 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Pour batter onto heated pan and flip pancakes once they are puffy with some bubbles on top, about 1-2 minutes (you can lift the edge of the pancake with your flipper too – if it's golden brown, flip it!). Cook for 1-2 minutes more on the other side.
    If your pancakes are starting to burn, turn the heat down a bit. Cook a test one first to see if you need medium or medium-high heat.
  • Serve + Store: Enjoy warm with butter + syrup, or greek yogurt and fruit to add even more protein and keep the sugar low!
    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal
 

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Comments

  1. Chelsea says

    October 10, 2021 at 5:53 pm

    I made this with 3 tablespoons dry egg replacer and 3/4 cup water because I’m a vegan. I also added the vital wheat gluten that she recommended. The batter was way too thick so I added 1 cup of soy milk, and it was perfect. What a delicious, and protein packed recipe!!! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Stephanie Simmons says

      October 13, 2021 at 5:34 pm

      So glad you liked this recipe, Chelsea! And thanks for sharing those modifications – it’s always helpful for me and other readers to see that. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Krista Price says

    February 04, 2019 at 3:04 pm

    5 stars
    These photos are absolutely incredible! I actually have all of the ingredients for this recipe on hand. Breakfast for dinner? HECK YES!

    Reply
  3. Lathiya says

    February 04, 2019 at 2:20 pm

    5 stars
    Wow, these flourless pancakes looks amazing way to start the day…I loved that it is ‘One bowl’. I love such easy recipes

    Reply
  4. Mimi says

    February 03, 2019 at 11:58 pm

    5 stars
    As nutritious as pancakes can get! These flourless protein pancakes look so good I can’t wait to try them this weekend – yum!

    Reply
  5. April says

    February 03, 2019 at 11:57 pm

    5 stars
    I think I am in love with meals that can be easily served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They save so much time and are so versatile. Fantastic pancakes recipe!

    Reply
  6. Kelly Anthony says

    February 03, 2019 at 10:19 pm

    5 stars
    I’m always looking for a new way to get my kids to eat more protein for breakfast and this a great way to do just that. This recipe is the perfect way to start any day.

    Reply
  7. Maman de sara says

    February 03, 2019 at 5:12 pm

    5 stars
    Yes for healthy pancakes! This recipe should be in my to do list, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  8. Jacqueline Debono says

    February 03, 2019 at 3:35 am

    5 stars
    These pancakes are mouth watering! I love that they are flourless and full of protein! Breakfast couldn’t be better!

    Reply
  9. Jayashree says

    February 03, 2019 at 3:19 am

    5 stars
    Loved these pancakes, they are so healthy and filling. Nice clicks.

    Reply
  10. Cheese Curd In Paradise says

    February 02, 2019 at 11:57 pm

    5 stars
    These looks delicious and what a great option for someone looking for a boost in the morning! I know extra protein in the morning is always a great way for me to get energy for my day.

    Reply
  11. Anna Hettick says

    February 02, 2019 at 1:09 pm

    5 stars
    I have been looking for a protein-packed pancake recipe! I want to make a bunch up for a quick breakfast for my kids that won’t leave them hungry a couple hours later.

    Reply
  12. Linda says

    February 02, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    5 stars
    I love starting my day with a stack of these pancakes, especially since you add oats. Yay to healthy pancakes!

    Reply
  13. Gloria says

    February 02, 2019 at 10:31 am

    5 stars
    These look and sound delicious. I would even love these for “breakfast for dinner” one night during the week. I will have to give them a try next sleepover weekend with the grandkids.

    Reply
  14. Amanda says

    February 02, 2019 at 8:59 am

    5 stars
    I’m always down for a healthier pancake! The fluffy texture looks perfect. This is motivation to get out of bed and make a good breakfast! ?

    Reply
  15. Stine Mari says

    February 02, 2019 at 3:54 am

    5 stars
    Okay, these look fantastic! I’d love to make these right now. Definitely the right kind of food for that polar vortex you guys had. How crazy was that! I can’t even imagine how cold it is.

    Reply
  16. Danielle Wolter says

    February 01, 2019 at 10:19 pm

    5 stars
    what gorgeous photos!! these pancakes sound incredible. perfect for a weekend brunch 🙂

    Reply

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Hi. I’m Stephanie

I’m a Mom & Grandma-taught cook + baker, and I’m excited to share my love of all things food with you!

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